As Canada’s first electric car manufacturing plant opens municipalities need to ramp up accommodation of green vehicles12/2022 - THE POINTER - Many think Canada's federal & provincial governments hold all of the power levers to accelerate ZEV adoption. But what’s often overlooked is that municipalities who are closest to the people have a variety of tools at their disposal says TAF Director Ian Klesmer
Ontario’s new gas plants will cause your hydro rates to rise, report says12/2022 - TORONTO STAR - Ontarians share three key goals around electricity. It needs to be reliable, affordable, and clean. New modelling shows that these priorities are actually aligned: the most cost-effective pathway to meet our growing electricity demand is also the most reliable and the lowest carbon.
More green construction, less gravel mining: Ford walks back some environmental changes in Ontario housing bill12/2022 - THE NARWHAL - Ontario has made a new promise to develop a voluntary provincial-wide green building standard, but hasn’t provided details.
GTHA carbon emissions on track to return to pre-pandemic levels, report warns11/2022 - CBC NEWS - Carbon Emissions Inventory for the GTHA found there has been little progress made in the GTHA since 2015. An eight per cent year-over-year decrease is necessary to hit most cities' 2030 emission targets. It is challenging, but it is possible.
Report shows GTHA carbon emissions rising — but data points to shift to lower-carbon lifestyles11/2022 - TORONTO STAR - The rebound in emissions in 2021 was substantially smaller than the pandemic-induced drop in 2020.
Local Green Building Laws at Risk as Ontario Fast-Tracks New Housing Bill11/2022 - THE ENERGY MIX - Municipal climate and energy leaders in Ontario are scrambling to protect energy-efficient building standards that may be at risk in the provincial government’s rush to push through its More Homes Built Faster Act, Bill 23.
Addressing climate change through advocacy, policy and planning11/2022 - CANADIAN ARCHITECT - The symbiotic relationship between municipalities, advocacy groups, and the real estate development community is a complex ecosystem critical for the design community to understand when addressing climate change through advocacy, policy and planning.
Doug Ford’s new housing bill guts green building law he voted for as Toronto councillor, say critics11/2022 - TORONTO STAR - "The Building More Homes Faster Act includes clauses that will inadvertently make future homes more unaffordable and less efficient for Ontarians," says Bryan Purcell.
Ontario gambling that feds will allow new gas plants despite net-zero targets10/2022 - POLITICS TODAY - The upcoming Clean Electricity Standard would make the business case for new gas plants impossible in Ontario.
Toronto Housing’s Flagship Green Retrofit to Deliver 70% Drop in Energy Use8/2022 - THE ENERGY MIX - New TAF retrofit is expected to garner at least $52,000 in annual utility savings, and 196 job years of local employment, establishing a model for other deep retrofits of similar buildings in TCHC’s portfolio and beyond that can be easily replicated.
Ambitious ZEV Strategy doomed without buy-in from provincial government8/2022 - THE POINTER - "As the densest region after Toronto, Peel has an opportunity to reduce transportation emissions by building transit and electrifying transportation," reads TAF's Carbon Emissions Inventory.
‘Quite a transformation’: Why this Toronto Community Housing green retrofit is coming with unexpected benefits for residents7/2022 - TORONTO STAR - TCHC’s mission to retrofit every unit in the city will bring unexpected benefits for residents, including AC, starting at Bathurst and Eglinton.
